we two-第44部分

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n　common。　　It　was　very　sad　work　for　Erica　infinitely　sadder　for　Raeburn；　but　they　were　both　of　them　brave　and　noble　souls；　and　they　loved　each　other；　and　so　could　get　above　the　sadness。　　One　thing　they　both　agreed　upon。　　They　would　never　argue　about　their　opinions。　　They　would；　as　far　as　possible；　avoid　any　allusion　to　the　grave　differences　that　lay　between　them。

Late　in　the　afternoon；　a　little　group　of　fishermen　and　idlers　stood　on　the　beach。　　They　were　looking　out　seaward　with　some　〃anxiety；　for　a　sudden　wind　had　arisen；　and　there　was　what　they　called　'an　ugly　sea。'〃

〃I　tell　you　it　was　madness　to　let　'em　go　alone　on　such　a　day；〃　said　the　old　sailor　with　the　telescope。

〃And　I　tell　you　that　the　old　gentleman　pulls　as　good　an　oar　as　any　of　us；〃　retorted　another　man；　in　a　blue　jersey　and　a　sou'wester。

〃Old　gentleman；　indeed！〃　broke　in　the　coast　guardsman。　　〃Better　say　devil　at　once！　　Why；　man　alive！　Your　old　gentleman　is　Luke　Raeburn；　the　atheist。〃

〃God　forbid！〃　exclaimed　the　first　speaker；　lowering　his　telescope　for　a　moment。　　〃Why；　he　be　mighty　friendly　to　us　fishermen。〃

〃Where　be　they　now；　gaffer？　　D'ye　see　them？〃　asked　a　keen…looking　lad　of　seventeen。

〃Ay；　there　they　be！　　There　they　be！　　God　have　mercy　on　'em！　　They'll　be　swamped　sure　as　fate！〃

The　coast　guardsman；　with　provoked　sang…froid　and　indifference；　began　to　sing：

〃For　though　his　body's　under　hatches；　His　soul　is　gone　alo…o…ft。〃

And　then　breaking　off　into　a　sort　of　recitative。

〃Which　is　exactly　the　opposite　quarter　to　what　Luke　Raeburn's　soul　will　go；　I　guess。〃

〃Blowed　if　I　wouldn't　pull　an　oar　to　save　a　mate；　if　I　were　so　mighty　sure　he　was　going　to　the　devil！〃　observed　a　weather…beaten　seaman；　with　gold　earrings　and　a　good　deal　of　tattooing　on　his　brawny　arms。

〃Would　you　now！〃　said　the　coast　guardsman；　with　a　superior　and　sardonic　smile。　　〃Well；　in　my　'umble　opinion；　drowning's　too　good　for　him。〃

With　which　humane　utterance；　the　coast　guardsman　walked　off；　singing　of　Tom　who

〃Never　from　his　word　departed；　Whose　heart　was　kind　and　soft。〃

〃Well；　I；　for　one；　will　lend　a　hand　to　help　them。　　Now　then；　mates！　　Which　of　you　is　going　to　help　to　cheat　the　devil　of　his　due？〃　said　the　man　with　the　earrings。

Three　men　proffered　their　services；　but　the　old　seaman　with　the　telescope　checked　them。

〃Bide　a　bit；　mates；　bide　a　bit；　I'm　not　sure　you've　a　call　to　go。〃　　He　wiped　the　glasses　of　his　telescope　with　a　red　handkerchief；　and　then　looked　out　seaward　once　more。

In　the　meantime；　while　their　fate　was　being　discussed　on　the　shore；　Raeburn　and　Erica　were　face　to　face　with　death。　　They　were　a　long　way　from　land　before　the　wind　had　sprung　up　so　strongly。　Raeburn；　who　in　his　young　days　had　been　at　once　the　pride　and　anxiety　of　the　fishermen　round　his　Scottish　home；　and　noted　for　his　readiness　and　daring；　had　now　lost　the　freshness　of　his　experience；　and　had　grown　forgetful　of　weather　tokens。　　The　danger　was　upon　them　before　he　had　even　thought　of　it。　　The　strong　wind　blowing　upon　them；　the　delicious　salt　freshness；　even　the　brisk　motion；　had　been　such　a　relief　to　them　after　the　pain　and　excitement　of　the　morning。　　But　all　at　once　they　began　to　realize　that　their　peril　was　great。　　Their　little　boat　tossed　so　fearfully　that　Erica　had　to　cling　to　the　seat　for　safety；　one　moment　they　were　down　in　the　hollow　of　a　deep　green　wave；　the　next　they　would　be　tossed　up　upon　its　crest　as　though　their　boat　had　been　a　mere　cockle　shell。

〃I'm　afraid　we've　made　a　mistake；　Eric；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃I　ought　to　have　seen　this　storm　coming　up。〃

〃What？〃　cried　Erica；　for　the　dashing　of　the　waves　made　the　end　of　the　sentence　inaudible。

He　looked　across　the　boat　at　her；　and　an　almost　paralyzing　dread　filled　his　heart。　　For　himself　he　could　be　brave；　for　himself　death　had　no　terrors　but　for　his　child！

A　horrible　vision　rose　before　him。　　He　saw　her　lying　stiff　and　cold；　with　glazed　eyes　and　drenched　hair。　　Was　there　to　be　a　yet　more　terrible　separation　between　them？　　Was　death　to　snatch　her　from　him？　　Ah；　no　that　should　never　be！　　They　would　at　least　go　down　together。

The　vision　faded；　he　saw　once　more　the　fair；　eager　face；　no　longer　pallid；　but　flushed　with　excitement；　the　brave　eyes　clear　and　bright；　but　somewhat　anxious。　　The　consciousness　that　everything　depended　on　him　helped　him　to　rise　above　that　overmastering　horror。　　He　was　once　more　his　strongest　self。

The　rudder　had　been　left　on　the　beach；　and　it　was　only　possible　to　steer　by　the　oars。　　He　dismissed　even　the　thought　of　Erica；　and　concentrated　his　whole　being　on　the　difficult　task　before　him。　　So　grand　did　he　look　in　that　tremendous　endeavor　that　Erica　almost　forgot　her　anxiety；　there　was　something　so　forceful　in　his　whole　aspect　that　she　could　not　be　afraid。　　Her　heart　beat　quickly　indeed；　but　the　consciousness　of　danger　was　stimulating。

Yet　the　waves　grew　more　and　more　furious；　rolling；　curling；　dashing　up　in　angry；　white　foam　〃raging　horribly。〃　　At　length　came　one　which　broke　right　over　the　little　boat；　blinding　and　drenching　its　occupants。

〃Another　like　that　will　do　for　us；〃　Said　Raeburn；　in　a　quiet　voice。

The　boat　was　half　full　of　water。　　Erica　began　to　bale　out　with　her　father's　hat；　and　each　knew　from　the　other's　face　that　their　plight　was　hopeless。

Raeburn　had　faced　death　many　times。　　He　had　faced　it　more　than　once　on　a　sick　bed；　he　had　faced　it　surrounded　by　yelling　and　furious　mobs；　but　he　had　never　faced　it　side　by　side　with　his　child。　　Again　he　looked　at　the　angry　gray…green　waves；　at　the　wreaths　of　curling　white　foam；　again　that　awful　vision　rose　before　him；　and；　brave　man　as　he　was；　he　shuddered。

Life　was　sweet　even　though　he　was　harassed；　persecuted；　libeled。　　Life　was　sweet　even　though　his　child　had　deserted　his　cause；　even　though　she　had　〃cheated　herself　into　a　belief。〃　　Life　was　infinitely　worth　living；　mere　existence　an　exquisite　joy；　blank　nothingness　a　hideous　alternative。

〃Bale　out！〃　he　cried；　despair　in　his　eyes；　but　a　curve　of　resoluteness　about　his　lips。

A　few　more　strokes　warily　pulled；　another　huge　wave　sweeping　along；　rearing　itself　up；　dashing　down　upon　them。　　The　boat　reeled　and　staggered。　　To　struggle　longer　was　useless。　　Raeburn　threw　his　oars　inboard；　caught　hold　of　Erica；　and　held　her　fast。　　When　they　could　see　once　more；　they　found　the　boat　quite　three　parts　full。

〃Child！〃　he　said；　〃child！〃　But　nothing　more　would　come。　　For　once　in　his　life　words　failed　him；　the　orator　was　speechless。　　Was　it　a　minute　or　an　eternity　that　he　waited　there　through　that　awful　pause　waited　with　his　arm　round　Erica；　feeling　the　beating　of　her　heart；　the　heart　which　must　soon　cease　beating　forever；　feeling　her　warm　breath　on　his　cheek　alas！　　How　few　more　breaths　would　she　draw！　　How　soon　would　the　cold　water　grave　close　over　all　that　he　　

His　thoughts　were　abruptly　checked。　　That　eternal　minute　of　waiting　was　over。　　It　was　coming　death　was　coming　riding　along　with　mocking　scorn　on　the　crest　of　a　giant　wave。　　Higher　and　higher　rose　the　towering；　sea…green　wall；　mockingly　it　rushed　forward；　remorselessly　swooped　down　upon　them！　　This　time　the　boat　was　completely　swamped。

〃I　will　at　least　die　fighting！〃　thought　Raeburn；　a　despairing；　defiant　courage　inspiring　him　with　almost　superhuman　strength。

〃Trust　to　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃Don't　struggle！〃　　And　Erica　who　would　naturally　have　fallen　into　that　frantic　and　vain　convulsion　which　seizes　most　people　when　they　find　themselves　in　peril　of　drowning；　by　a　supreme　effort　of　will　made　no　struggle　at　all；　but　only　clung　to　her　father。

Raeburn　was　a　very　strong　man；　and　an　expert　swimmer；　but　it　was　a　fearful　sea。　　They　were　dashed　hither　and　thither；　they　were　buffeted；　and　choked；　and　blinded；　but　never　once　did　he　lose　his　presence　of　mind。　　Every　now　and　then　he　even　shouted　out　a　few　words　to　Erica。　　How　strange　his　voice　sounded　in　that　chaos；　in　that　raging　symphony　of　winds　and　waves。

〃Tell　me　when　you　can't　hold　any　longer；〃　he　cried。

〃I　can't　leave　go；〃　returned　Erica。

And　even　then；　in　that　desperate　minute；　they　both　felt　a　momentary　thrill　of　amusement。　　The　fact　was；　that　her　effort　of　will　had　been　so　great　when　she　had　obeyed　him；　and　clung　with　all　her　might　to　him；　that　now　the　muscles　of　her　hands　absolutely　would　not　relax　their　hold。

It　seemed　endless！　　Over　the　cold　green　and　white　of　the　waves　Raeburn　seemed　to　see　his　whole　life　stretched　out　before　him；　in　a　series　of　vivid　pictures。　　All　the　long　struggles；　all　the　desperate　fights　wreathed　themselves　out　in　visions　round　this　supreme　death　struggle。　　And　always　there　was　the　consciousness　that　he　was　toiling　for　Erica's　life；　struggling；　agonizing；　straining　every　fiber　of　his　being　to　save　her。

But　what　was　this　paralyzing　cold　creeping　over　his　limbs？　　What　this　pressure　at　his　heart？　　This　dimness　of　his　eyes？　　Oh！　　Was　his　strength　failing　him？　　Was　the　last　hope；　indeed；　gone？　　Panting；　he　struggled　on。

〃I　will　do　thirty　more　strokes！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　And　he　did　them。

〃I　will　do　ten　more！〃

And　he　forced　himself　to　keep　on。

〃Ten　more！〃

He　was　gasping　now。　　Erica's　weight　seemed　to　be　dragging　him　down；　down；　into　nothingness。

Six　strokes　painfully　made！　　Seven！　　After　all　nothingness　would　mean